Written Answers

Thursday 18 May 2000

Scottish Executive

Aggregates Tax

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from the British Aggregates Association as to the impact of the proposed Aggregates Levy on their membership in Scotland; whether any such representations drew its attention to the Association’s estimate that the cost per tonne of aggregates is around £10 in the South of England compared with around £4 in Scotland; whether it has made any representations to Her Majesty’s Government regarding the impact on employment in the aggregates industry in Scotland of introducing the Levy at a fixed rate per tonne of £1.60, and in particular whether it has suggested any amendments to the proposed Levy to lessen its potential impact in Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: The association has made written and oral representations to both the Executive and HM Government on this issue. The cost of aggregates has been raised. The Executive is in touch with HM Government on a wide range of issues, including the aggregates tax.

Caledonian MacBrayne

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of what consideration has been or will be given to passenger safety in relation to the tendering for CalMac routes.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive attaches high priority to passenger safety in relation to all ferry routes. As in the case of the tendering exercise currently underway for the Northern Isles services, the service specification in relation to CalMac routes, will require the successful tenderers to comply with the safety regulations.

Cancer

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for the Scottish Cancer Group, or any other body within the NHSiS, to collate information on investment in cancer services on a national basis.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Cancer Group is actively involved in the ongoing national review of the need and procurement policy for linear accelerators and is also assessing chemotherapy services nationwide and undertaking a series of projected modelling exercises to inform planning of cancer services over the next 10 to 15 years.

Cancer

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a national screening system for cervical cancer.

Susan Deacon: Dr Jocelyn Imrie, the Quality Assurance Director of the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme, has recently completed and submitted the final report on the call/recall system across Scotland, to which I referred in my answer to question S1W-3357, One of the review’s recommendations is the development of a single call/recall system for Scotland as a whole.

  On 26 April I announced that I was actively considering proposals for a national call/recall system for cervical screening in Scotland to replace the existing locally organised systems. I intend to respond to the recommendations of the report within the next month.

Census

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it is anticipated that data from the next census will be made available to researchers interested in analysing social and economic indicators.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Registrar General for Scotland intends to produce the main national and local results of the 2001 Census to a pre-announced timetable.

  This timetable is still being considered in the light of work on processing the Census Rehearsal data. Estimates are being made of the time taken for each of the various processes between enumeration and output production including editing mistakes in form completion and correcting for any under-enumeration. However, the current planning assumption is for the Registrar General:

  - to release mid-year population estimates for 2001 based on the 2001 Census by August 2002;

  - to release more detailed output with the full range of data collected in the Census and consistent with the mid-2001 population estimates by March 2003.

Council Tax

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to councils regarding determination of the due date for payment of council tax both by instalment and by lump sum.

Mr Jack McConnell: None. It is for councils to determine the most appropriate date for the payment of council tax instalments also taking account of the regulations governing the payment of lump sums.

Education

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to re-examine the guidance it offers local authorities regarding the issue of deferred entry to primary school.

Peter Peacock: There is no central guidance on deferred entry although we have established a short-term working group to consider the matter further.

Education

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it intends to take to address any under-achievement of teenage boys in Scottish schools.

Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W–5762.

Education

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline its policy towards rural schools.

Peter Peacock: All our policies for schools are directed towards ensuring that all children in rural areas benefit from school provision of the highest quality.

Education

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to encourage and support parents in introducing infants and their children to books and reading.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive fully recognises the crucial role parents can play in cultivating their children’s skills, knowledge and enthusiasm for books and reading. At the pre-school stage, the Framework for Curriculum 3-5 encourages parents to assist in their children's learning through play by participating in sessions at their child's pre-school centre or helping with their learning at home.

  The Scottish Executive’s Early Intervention Programme to raise standards of literacy and numeracy in the early years of primary school also assists local authorities to involve parents in developing their children’s abilities in reading and other literacy skills.

Education

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of computers are equipped with INTEL Pentium or other equivalent high speed processors in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools.

Peter Peacock: 33% of primary school computers and 49% of secondary school computers are equipped with Intel Pentium processors or are Apple computers of broadly equivalent capability (taking Apple Power Macs, Imacs and G3s as equivalent to Pentiums). This information comes from Statistical Bulletin Edn/B9/2000/2, Detailed Results of the October 1999 School Survey of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

  This Bulletin was published on 2 May 2000, and can be found on the Scottish Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library2/doc15/ssit-00.asp. A copy is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Education

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of computers are installed with (a) Windows 95/98, (b) Windows NT, (c) Mac-OS 7.5 or (d) other operating systems of a similar or higher specification in (i) primary schools and (ii) secondary schools.

Peter Peacock: This information is not held centrally.

Employment

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the unemployment rate in Glasgow compares to the rates in other Scottish cities.

Henry McLeish: The unemployment rate in Glasgow, using the internationally standard ILO measure, was 13.5% in 1998. This compares to 8.5% in Dundee, 6.0% in Edinburgh, and 3.4% in Aberdeen.

Employment

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many announcements involving new jobs in Dunbartonshire it has been involved in since May 1999, listed in date order; how many jobs each announcement referred to; which constituency the jobs in each case are to be located in, and by what date the jobs in each announcement are expected to be filled.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive has been involved in two projects where public announcements involving new jobs in Dunbartonshire have been made since May 1999. The specific details requested are shown in the table below:

  


Date 


Company 


No of Jobs Announced 


Constituency in 
which jobs are to be located 


Period over which 
jobs are to be created 




10/09/1999 


Polaroid 


250 


Dumbarton 


31/12/2000 




14/02/2000 


Pressac – John McGavigans 


Over 400 


Strathkelvin & 
Bearsden 


2003

Employment

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new jobs created in each of the last five years in (a) Lothian, (b) Lanarkshire, (c) Fife, (d) Glasgow and (e) Dunbartonshire are attributable to the work of Locate in Scotland.

Henry McLeish: The following details are available of planned jobs announced for the areas specified over the last five years; arising from projects attracted by Locate in Scotland:

  

 

1994-95 


1995-96 


1996-97 


1997-98 


1998-99 




Lothian 


1,005 


1,481 


2,548 


3,149 


1,505 




Lanarkshire 


1,774 


4,342 


2,847 


6,992 


763 




Fife 


1,551 


1,606 


506 


439 


625 




Glasgow 


1,404 


424 


514 


1,491 


1,507 




Dunbartonshire 


52 


103 


141 


120 


140 




  A recent analysis suggests that, on average, 73% of planned jobs actually materialise.

  Locate in Scotland results for the year 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000 will be published in June 2000. However, I can tell you that information already publicly announced by companies for the year to 31 March 2000 in the areas specified are:

  


Lothian 


3,080 planned new 
jobs 




Lanarkshire 


2,200 planned new 
jobs 




Fife 


1,200 planned new 
jobs 




Glasgow 


3,025 planned new 
jobs 




Dunbartonshire 


650 planned new 
jobs

Employment

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any sites in West Dunbartonshire have been put forward to potential inward investors by Scottish Enterprise or Locate in Scotland as possible locations for new investment during the last five years and, if so, what type of project and how many potential jobs were involved in each case.

Henry McLeish: Discussions with potential inward investors are commercially confidential.

Enterprise

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next meet the management and workforce of Kvaerner Methil to discuss the future of the yard.

Henry McLeish: I am due to meet Kvaerner’s Executive Vice President, Jan Jorgensen soon to discuss the future of the Methil fabrication yard. In the meantime the Executive is working closely with the fabrication sector throughout Scotland, including Kvaerner at Methil, as it responds to the dramatic changes in the market for large offshore structures.

Environment

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the decision to designate the River Ythan as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone has been made using the same criteria which have been used to identify other such zones in Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: The only previously existing Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) in Scotland, at Balmalcolm in Fife, was designated during 1996 on the basis of criteria set out at Annex IA(2) of the EC Nitrates Directive. Nitrate concentrations from water samples taken from the borehole at Balmalcolm indicated pollution in excess of the levels permitted by the Directive. Studies demonstrated that agriculture was the principal source of the nitrates. The boundaries of the NVZ were defined as the source catchment of the groundwater which was determined by modelling and the study of relevant hydrological features.

  The Ythan Nitrate Vulnerable Zone has been designated on the basis of criteria set out at Annex IA(3) of the EC Nitrates Directive(91/676/EEC) i.e. that the estuary is eutrophic, or in the near future may become eutrophic.

Environment

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what substantive evidence exists to support the decision to designate the River Ythan as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone.

Sarah Boyack: The Ythan Nitrate Vulnerable Zone has been designated on the basis of criteria set out at Annex IA(3) of the EC Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC), i.e. that the estuary is eutrophic, or in the near future may become eutrophic.

  During its 1997 review of eutrophic waters, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) concluded that the Ythan estuary met three of the criteria for eutrophication set out in guidance issued by the Scottish Office to regulatory authorities on assessing the eutrophic status of estuaries and coastal waters. These included changes in macrophyte growth, changes in fauna, and elevated nitrate concentrations.

  SEPA also supported the conclusion of its predecessor body, the North East River Purification Board, that agriculture is the main source of nitrate pollution in the Ythan catchment. In these circumstances, Article 3 of the Directive requires all known areas of land which drain into the estuary to be designated as a vulnerable zone.

  Additional evidence of high levels of nitrate in the surface waters of the Ythan catchment was reported by SEPA in 1999.

Environment

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used when deciding whether an area should be designated as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone.

Sarah Boyack: Waters are assessed by the Scottish Executive against criteria in the EC Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC). Article 3(1) of the Directive requires waters affected by pollution, and waters which could be affected by pollution if action pursuant to Article 5 is not taken, to be identified in accordance with criteria set out in Annex I. The criteria are:

  1. Whether surface freshwaters, in particular those used or intended for the abstraction of drinking waters, contain or could contain, if action pursuant to Article 5 of the Directive is not taken, more than the concentration of nitrates laid down in accordance with the Drinking Waters Directive (75/440/EEC);

  2. Whether groundwaters contain more than 50mg/litre nitrates or could contain more than 50mg/litre nitrates if action pursuant to Article 5 is not taken; and

  3. Whether natural freshwater lakes, other freshwater bodies, estuaries, coastal waters and marine waters are found to be eutrophic or in the near future may become eutrophic if action pursuant to Article 5 is not taken.

  The Directive requires member states in applying these criteria to take into account:

  1. The physical and environmental characteristics of waters and land;

  2. The current understanding of the behaviour of nitrogen compounds in the environment (water and soil); and

  3. The current understanding of the impact of the action taken pursuant to Article 5.

  Article 3(2) requires all areas of land which drain into such waters to be designated as vulnerable zones.

Environment

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what is the number, extent and identity of fields and play areas lost in the City of Edinburgh since 1997.

Sarah Boyack: This information is not held centrally.

Environment

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation or input it had regarding the English High Court action raised by Greenpeace on the EU Habitat Directives relating to the Atlantic Shelf area and decided on by Lord Justice Kay, and what effect this judgement has had on its policy and powers and those of the Parliament.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has been fully involved in the UK Government’s consideration of this case and its consequences. The implementation of the Habitats Directive beyond the territorial sea remains the reserved matter.

European Funding

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure the continued existence of projects such as ERGO, the youth training agency in Dundee for 14-20 year olds, which are currently maintained by European funds, when European funding is terminated.

Mr Jack McConnell: European funding will continue to be available from the new Structural Funds programmes to be introduced later this year. As I announced to the European Committee on 4 April, arrangements are in preparation to provide bridging finance for vulnerable projects in the voluntary sector which are at risk of serious financial difficulties during the hiatus between the closure of the existing Structural Fund programmes and the issue of grant awards under the new programmes.

Flooding

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on what action it plans to take to assist those affected by flooding in Scotland on 26 April 2000.

Sarah Boyack: I sympathise with those affected by last month’s flooding and acknowledge the part played by the local authorities and emergency services in assisting those affected by flooding.

  Local authorities have a duty to meet the needs of local communities in emergency situations. Ministers may activate the Bellwin Scheme to meet councils’ relevant revenue costs in alleviating the immediate after-effects of an emergency situation. Only Edinburgh City Council have made any approaches to the Executive on this to date.

  The repair or replacement of damage to property is a matter for the owners concerned, and their insurers, not the Executive. The level of insurance cover that property holders arrange is a decision that only they can take.

  An impact of climate change is likely to be increased rainfall and storminess which may lead to increasing flood risk. The Executive has recently commissioned research to consider effects of climate change on flooding occurrences and flood prevention design standards.

  Nevertheless, flood prevention in general is a matter which Scottish Ministers have given and are continuing to give a high priority. Addressing flooding concerns will require action to be taken by all the interests involved including the Executive.

Freedom of Information

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the First Minister what progress has been made by the Scottish Executive in implementing its proposals for freedom of information.

Mr Jim Wallace: We are making good progress. There has been an excellent response to the Executive’s consultation document An Open Scotland published last year. Most respondents welcomed the general thrust of the proposals. We will be considering carefully the points raised as we prepare a draft Bill.

  A copy of all of the responses received has been placed in SPICe and on open access in the Executive’s library. A summary of the responses will be published next week.

Fuel Poverty

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase expenditure on tackling fuel poverty following the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s recent announcements of higher public expenditure.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Chancellor’s announcement referred to spending plans for health, education, justice and transport. However the Executive has raised this year’s budget for the Warm Deal to £13 million, £1 million more than last year. About £210 million will also be spent on improving and repairing local authority stock and we plan to spend £214 million on New Housing Partnerships. These substantial resources, together with the new Winter Fuel Payment of £150, will make a real impact on fuel poverty in Scotland.

Health

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-1570 by Susan Deacon on 27 April 2000, whether its policy is to further raise average life expectancies and to improve quality of life through health education, the prevention of ill health and improvements in diets.

Susan Deacon: Yes. The White Paper, Towards a Healthier Scotland , sets out the principal strategy being pursued by the Scottish Executive to achieve better health and life expectancy for all Scots. An additional £26 million, drawn from this year’s budget increases in tobacco taxation are being allocated, exclusively, to taking forward the Executive’s health improvement agenda in 2000-01.

Health

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to control the activities of private diet clinics.

Susan Deacon: Existing safeguards around the prescribing of drugs, including appetite suppressants, apply equally wherever prescribing takes place. Only a doctor registered with the General Medical Council may prescribe appetite suppressant drugs. Where there is a question over the integrity or competence of any doctor, disciplinary action could be taken through the disciplinary committees of the council. In addition, the Medicines Control Agency is responsible for the enforcement of medicines legislation throughout the UK.

  Where a clinic was providing more complicated treatments which involved, for example, invasive procedures, the administration of anaesthetics etc., the clinic would require to be registered as a private hospital under the Nursing Homes Registration (Scotland) Act 1938 and clearly those performing these procedures etc would have to be registered with the appropriate professional body.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which illnesses GPs are required to report centrally for national statistical collation.

Susan Deacon: The Public Health (Notification of Infectious Diseases) (Scotland) Regulations 1988 require medical practitioners to notify the following infectious diseases:

  


Anthrax 


Poliomyelitis 




Bacillary Dysentery 


Puerperal Fever 




Chickenpox 


Rabies 




Cholera 


Relapsing Fever 




Diphtheria 


Rubella 




Erysipelas 


Scarlet Fever 




Food Poisoning 


Smallpox 




Legionellosis 


Tetanus 




Leptospirosis 


Toxoplasmosis 




Lyme Disease 


Tuberculosis (Respiratory and 
Non-Respiratory) 




Measles 


Typhoid Fever 




Membranous Croup 


Typhus Fever 




Meningococcal Infection 


Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers (including 
Yellow Fever) 




Mumps 


Viral Hepatitis 




Paratyphoid Fever 


Whooping Cough 




Plague

Health

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of chlamydia are diagnosed annually, broken down by sex, age and health board area.

Susan Deacon: A table giving details of patient episodes of chlamydia diagnosed in Scotland during financial years 1995-96 to 1998-99 is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. no. 6758). The information relates only to patient attendances at Genitourinary Medicine clinics in Scotland.

Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will liaise with the new Health Technology Board for Scotland regarding the adequacy of disabled aids and adaptations provided by local authorities and health boards.

Susan Deacon: The Health Technology Board for Scotland is independent of the NHS Management Executive and decisions on its programme of work rests with the Chairman, Dr Angus Mackay, and his board members.

  The Rehabilitation Technology Services Advisory Group (ReTSAG), chaired by the Scottish Executive and including representatives from the five main rehabilitation technology centres in Scotland as well as users of the service, is continually examining the provision of aids and equipment and are currently looking at a number of areas of service provision which may lead to proposals for assessment being put to the Health Technology Board.

  Copies of the remit and membership of ReTSAG and the report of the Implementation Working Group for the Health Technology Board are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Housing

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has in place or is preparing in the event of Glasgow City Council tenants voting against the proposed housing stock transfer.

Ms Wendy Alexander: If tenants vote against a transfer proposal, resources will continue to be made available for capital investment in Glasgow’s council housing. However, this would not allow all tenants to enjoy the benefits offered by transfer to community ownership, which include some £1,600 million of housing investment.

Housing

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis it estimates that the annual additional number of homes sold in Scotland as a result of the proposed extension of the right to buy will be 120.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The methodology used to estimate sales projections is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Sales are projected to increase by 850. 120 of these are in rural areas.

Housing

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authority homes were sold under the right to buy scheme in each council area between 1 January 1980 and 1 January 2000.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The information available is set out in the table. The figures include right to buy, rent to mortgage and voluntary sales, all of which were made under the right to buy legislation. Sales of dwellings owned by the New Towns (when in existence) are shown separately. Information regarding sales of local authority dwellings which were made after the end of September 1999 is not yet available.

  


Right to Buy Sales 
of Local Authority and New Town Dwellings 




1 January 1980 
to 30 September 1999 




Local Authority Dwellings Sold 


294,560 




Aberdeen City 


12,852 




Aberdeenshire 


9,302 




Angus 


6,153 




Argyll & Bute 


4,241 




Clackmannanshire 


3,336 




Dumfries & Galloway 


9,544 




Dundee 


10,404 




East Ayrshire 


8,638 




East Dunbartonshire 


4,221 




East Lothian 


6,433 




East Renfrewshire 


2,332 




Edinburgh, City of 


21,089 




Eilean Siar 


1,190 




Falkirk 


11,028 




Fife 


23,021 




Glasgow City 


33,283 




Highland 


11,468 




Inverclyde 


5,429 




Midlothian 


5,412 




Moray 


5,151 




North Ayrshire 


7,651 




North Lanarkshire 


22,230 




Orkney 


1,749 




Perth & Kinross 


6,802 




Renfrewshire 


10,947 




Scottish Borders, The 


5,943 




Shetland 


901 




South Ayrshire 


8,151 




South Lanarkshire 


16,106 




Stirling 


5,810 




West Dunbartonshire 


5,902 




West Lothian 


7,841 




New Town Dwellings Sold 


32,441 




Cumbernauld 


6,876 




Irvine 


12,487 




East Kilbride 


5,261 




Glenrothes 


2,584 




Livingston 


5,233 




  Note: Although the current local authorities were not in existence until April 1996, the numbers of sales which took place before then have been assigned to the new areas. Where an old district became divided between more than one new local authority area, population figures for new and old areas at 1996 were used to allocate the sales to the relevant areas on a pro-rata basis. For some areas, therefore, the figures are estimates only.

Housing

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any council seeking to access New Housing Partnership funding requires its proposals to be approved by the New Housing Partnership Advisory Group.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Bids by councils for New Housing Partnership resources are approved by Ministers taking into account the recommendations of the New Housing Partnerships Steering Group.

Housing

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the Glasgow stock transfer framework document was agreed by the New Housing Partnership Advisory Group.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Framework Document Better Homes - stronger communities relating to the Glasgow stock transfer, which was published on 10 April, was produced and agreed by the Glasgow Steering Group. The document does not require to be agreed by the New Housing Partnerships Steering Group but a copy has been passed to the group in support of an application from Glasgow City Council for further funding in connection with the development of the stock transfer proposal. This application is currently under consideration by the steering group. Its recommendations will be submitted to the First Minister.

Housing

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which member of the Cabinet chaired the meeting of the New Housing Partnership Advisory Group to approve the Glasgow Stock Transfer framework document.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Ministers receive and consider recommendations of the New Housing Partnerships Steering Group. They do not attend meetings of the group.

Housing

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is proper for local authorities to launch stock transfer proposals, or new expenditure on publicity materials, prior to the proposals gaining approval by the New Housing Partnership Advisory Group.

Ms Wendy Alexander: In response to bids from councils, the New Housing Partnerships Steering Group recommended the earmarking of resources for councils which are considering or progressing stock transfer proposals. The group's decisions were set out in the February 1999 Report of the NHP Steering Group, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. I am not aware of any council progressing its proposals without the appropriate approval. However, any council can launch stock transfer proposals without NHP funding.

Housing

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the framework document and proposals for Glasgow stock transfer have been launched without prior approval of the New Housing Partnership Advisory Group in order to allow the proposals to be developed to the next stage.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I refer to my answer to question S1W-6548.

Housing

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the £13 million from the national budget for New Housing Partnerships, earmarked for the development of a proposal and ballot for a Glasgow Housing Association, was released or is due to be released.

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the costs which the £13 million allocated to Glasgow City Council for the development of its proposals for a Glasgow Housing Association is expected to cover, with specific reference to the estimated cost of the ballot and the amount budgeted for public relations and publicity materials.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Of the £13 million earmarked for Glasgow City Council in connection with the development of its stock transfer proposal, £2.856 million has been allocated. This includes £0.495 million for project team and consultancy costs; £1.010 million for work with tenants and residents; £0.750 million for stock condition work and £0.601 million for purchasers pre-transfer costs which will be recoverable.

  Following the publication of the Framework Document the council has submitted a bid to the Executive for resources between 2000-02. This is currently being considered by the New Housing Partnerships Steering Group.

Housing

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the reduced availability of private sector housing grants within Highland Council area has had upon the quantity of stock in that sector and how many houses it estimates would have received grants had the total sum spent been maintained in real terms at the 1995-96 level in each subsequent year.

Mr Frank McAveety: The vast majority of private sector grants are for the improvement or repair of existing houses. It is therefore unlikely that their availability has much bearing on the quantity of stock in the private sector. The amount of grant payable depends on the nature of the works and so can vary considerably between cases. It is therefore not possible to make an estimate of grants which Highland Council might have awarded since 1 April 1996 had the budget for the years concerned been as described.

Justice

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how long it is taking on average for appeals, by way of Bill of Advocation on the grounds that the case was dealt with by a tribunal which was not impartial and independent, to be heard.

Mr Jim Wallace: There are no Bills of Advocation on these grounds outstanding. However, at present there are 75 pending Bills of Suspension before the Criminal Appeal Court in respect of matters arising from the earlier decision in the case of Starrs v. Ruxton relating to whether temporary Sheriffs constituted an impartial and independent tribunal.

  A sample of test cases have been selected as being representative of the outstanding matters raised by these cases and these will be heard on 29 and 30 June 2000. It is hoped that by allowing the court to consider a variety of situations, it will enable authoritative decisions to be reached which would guide the consideration of the remaining cases.

Justice

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of time taken to process a breach of (a) a probation order and (b) a community service order is in Dumbarton Sheriff Court and how many outstanding breaches of probation and community service orders are currently waiting to be dealt with in Dumbarton Sheriff Court.

Mr Jim Wallace: The average length of time taken to process a breach of (a) a probation order and (b) a community service order at Dumbarton Sheriff Court is (a) 14 weeks and (b) 17 weeks. The figures relate to actions initiated during 1999 and are the period between receipt at court and final disposal by the Sheriff. The period includes continuations for proof and any further reports required as well as the time allowed for accused persons to be cited or arrested.

  There are currently nine outstanding probation breach reports and six for community service in respect of cases submitted during 1999.

Justice

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many retailers were prosecuted in Scotland under the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991 in the period 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999 and how this compares with the equivalent figure for England and Wales.

Mr Jim Wallace: In 1998 no one was prosecuted in Scottish courts where the main offence was under the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991. The corresponding figure for prosecutions in England and Wales was 173.

Land Ownership

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will (a) consider introducing any measures to regulate the ownership of land, in particular large landed estates owned by non-residents and (b) consider a requirement on such non-resident landowners based in a foreign jurisdiction to appoint a mandatory to represent their interests locally.

Mr Jim Wallace: The matter of principal importance as regards ownership of land by non-residents, as for resident owners, is that ownership should be exercised responsibly. Rather than regulate the ownership of land, we think it better to set out the standards we expect in the Code of Good Practice on Rural Landownership which we intend to publish later in the year. The matter of local representation will also be addressed in the code.

Lifelong Learning

Allan Wilson (Cunninghame North) (Lab): To ask the First Minister what progress is being made in promoting lifelong learning.

Mr Jim Wallace: Transforming our learning culture is a top priority. Our role is to help create the right framework of opportunities for people to learn. Excellent progress is being made in setting in place our Programme for Government commitments, including the launch in the autumn of learndirect scotland and of Individual Learning Accounts.

Lingerbay Quarry

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce its decision concerning the outstanding planning application for the Lingerbay Quarry on the Isle of Harris.

Sarah Boyack: This is a very technical and complex case and sufficient time will be required to give full and proper consideration to the report of the public local inquiry. The conclusions of the Scottish Executive will, however, be made known to parties as soon as is reasonably practicable.

Local Boundary Commission

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4698 by Mr Jack McConnell on 14 April 2000, what locations are being considered for the relocated offices of the Local Boundary Commission for Scotland and how it will ensure that this relocation meets its policy objectives set out in the answer to question S1W-1555 on 15 September 1999.

Mr Jack McConnell: The last Policy and Financial Management Review (PMFR) of the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland (LGBC) took place in 1995 and the recommendation that it be relocated to premises of its own was implemented that same year. The lease on the LGBC’s premises at 3 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh is not due for renewal until February 2004 but at that point consideration will be given to the merits of a further relocation in the context of the relocation policy for the Scottish Executive and its agencies prevailing at that time.

Local Government

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what targets have been set for the implementation of Agenda 21 strategies by local authorities and how the progress of such strategies is being monitored.

Sarah Boyack: In June 1997, at the UN General Assembly in New York, the Prime Minister challenged every local authority to have a Local Agenda 21 strategy by the end of the year 2000. LA 21 was established at the Rio Summit in 1992 as a programme for local authorities. Setting LA21 targets therefore is a matter for each council.

  Scottish councils are making a strong effort to meet the Prime Minister’s challenge. A survey by CoSLA in February 2000 showed that 26 councils intend to adopt a strategy by December, and two have already so done. The others are at varying stages of development. Monitoring is carried out by CoSLA and the Scottish Executive provides £60,000 per year to fund a LA21 adviser at CoSLA.

Local Government Finance

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much capital debt each local authority currently owes, expressed as (a) a total amount, (b) a per capita amount and (c) a per household amount.

Mr Jack McConnell: The requested figures for the most recent available year (1998-99) are provided in the following table.

  Local Authority Capital Debt 1998-99

  

 

Outstanding Capital 
Debt 


Capital Debt Per 
Capita 


Capital Debt Per 
Household 



 

£ million 


£ 


£ 




Aberdeen City 


370 


1,738  


3,726  




Aberdeenshire 


361 


1,596  


4,058  




Angus 


100 


910  


2,159  




Argyll & Bute 


223 


2,480  


5,858  




Clackmannanshire 


72 


1,488  


3,559  




Dumfries & Galloway 


275 


1,868  


4,369  




Dundee City 


275 


1,875  


4,118  




East Ayrshire 


188 


1,549  


3,707  




East Dunbartonshire 


122 


1,114  


2,935  




East Lothian 


143 


1,596  


3,844  




East Renfrewshire 


87 


987  


2,570  




Edinburgh, City of 


835 


1,854  


4,136  




Eilean Siar 


167 


5,989  


14,303  




Falkirk 


198 


1,374  


3,256  




Fife 


480 


1,375  


3,244  




Glasgow City 


2,098 


3,385  


7,659  




Highland 


540 


2,594  


6,147  




Inverclyde 


218 


2,552  


5,781  




Midlothian 


95 


1,175  


3,026  




Moray 


146 


1,702  


4,116  




North Ayrshire 


204 


1,457  


3,479  




North Lanarkshire 


477 


1,461  


3,655  




Orkney Islands 


19 


949  


2,263  




Perth & Kinross 


145 


1,091  


2,577  




Renfrewshire 


291 


1,639  


3,814  




Scottish Borders 


208 


1,954  


4,546  




Shetland Islands 


60 


2,626  


6,686  




South Ayrshire 


157 


1,376  


3,267  




South Lanarkshire 


483 


1,575  


3,892  




Stirling 


146 


1,758  


4,311  




West Dunbartonshire 


188 


1,983  


4,501  




West Lothian 


207 


1,351  


3,314  




All Scotland 


9,899 


1,933 


4,562 




  Sources:

  1. The information on capital debt is taken from the Capital Debt Outstanding return which is completed annually by councils. This includes debt for General Fund Services and Trading Services and Housing Revenue Account debt. These figures may be revised as a result of audit requirements.

  2. Population information is based on the Registrar General’s mid-year estimates of total population in 1998.

  3. Household information is based on Scottish Executive Housing Statistics mid-year estimates of total households in 1998 (excluding vacant dwellings, second homes etc.).

Local Government Finance

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much housing debt each local authority currently owes, expressed as (a) a total amount and (b) an amount per council house owned by the authority.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The latest available information requested is shown in the table below.

  


Council Aberdeen City  


120 


4,289 




Aberdeenshire  


151 


9,408 




Angus  


31 


3,095 




Argyll and Bute  


52 


7,523 




Clackmannanshire  


26 


4,128 




Dumfries and Galloway  


104 


7,842 




Dundee City  


110 


5,281 




East Ayrshire  


79 


4,400 




East Dunbartonshire  


41 


6,583 




East Lothian  


36 


3,572 




East Renfrewshire  


25 


5,841 




Edinburgh, City of 


275 


9,469 




Eilean Siar 


42 


20,965 




Falkirk  


88 


4,116 




Fife  


197 


4,888 




Glasgow City  


870 


9,436 




Highland  


210 


11,484 




Inverclyde  


93 


8,098 




Midlothian  


21 


2,727 




Moray  


49 


6,666 




North Ayrshire  


85 


4,812 




North Lanarkshire  


200 


4,083 




Orkney  


3 


3,454 




Perth & Kinross  


45 


4,533 




Renfrewshire  


141 


6,744 




Scottish Borders  


67 


8,772 




Shetland Islands  


59 


27,074 




South Ayrshire  


59 


5,448 




South Lanarkshire  


207 


5,834 




Stirling  


38 


4,807 




West Dunbartonshire  


91 


6,226 




West Lothian  


59 


3,463 




Scotland 


3,674 


6,517 




  Source: Local authorities 2000-01 Housing Revenue Account returns.

Local Government Finance

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much non-domestic rating income it estimates each local authority is due to receive in financial year 2000-01.

Mr Jack McConnell: The amount of non-domestic rate income expected to be distributed to each local authority in 2000-01 is shown in the following table.

  


Council 


Distributable 
Amount of Non-Domestic Rate Income 



 

£ million 




Aberdeen City 


69.193 




Aberdeenshire 


73.477 




Angus 


35.745 




Argyll & Bute 


29.221 




Clackmannanshire 


15.770 




Dumfries & Galloway 


47.835 




Dundee City 


47.637 




East Ayrshire 


39.391 




East Dunbartonshire 


35.582 




East Lothian 


29.087 




East Renfrewshire 


28.571 




Edinburgh, City of 


146.193 




Eilean Siar 


9.073 




Falkirk 


46.799 




Fife 


113.303 




Glasgow City 


201.238 




Highland 


67.644 




Inverclyde 


27.733 




Midlothian 


26.259 




Moray 


27.886 




North Ayrshire 


45.354 




North Lanarkshire 


106.100 




Orkney 


6.349 




Perth & Kinross 


43.204 




Renfrewshire 


57.749 




Scottish Borders 


34.520 




Shetland 


7.440 




South Ayrshire 


37.164 




South Lanarkshire 


99.651 




Stirling 


26.996 




West Dunbartonshire 


30.812 




West Lothian 


49.715

Medical Research

Ian Jenkins (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent reports it has received from its representatives on the working group on chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis about the group’s progress and when it expects the group’s report and findings to be made available to Ministers and the medical profession in Scotland.

Susan Deacon: Scottish observers on the main working group and the children's group have reported informally that good progress continues to be made on both groups. Progress briefings are available on the Department of Health website at www.doh.gov.uk/cfs-me.htm.

  Funding for a major research project to run in association with the group has been agreed by the Department of Health. The project will review all recently published research on CFS/ME, in the hope of pointing the way towards consensus on the causes and treatment of the condition. Because of the need to incorporate the findings of this project it is likely that the working group's final report, which was originally scheduled for autumn this year, will be delayed until 2001.

Mining

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been undertaken on companies who have gone into liquidation before restoring opencast coal sites and on any resultant environmental damage and whether the level of any bonds posted has proved adequate for restoring such sites to a required environmental standard.

Sarah Boyack: No studies have been carried out by the Scottish Executive, and records of any relevant private research are not held centrally.

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any additional resources for the NHS from tobacco revenue, announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, will benefit specific aspects of Scottish healthcare.

Susan Deacon: As I announced in Parliament on 22 March, the Scottish Executive has agreed to hypothecate Scotland’s share of the tobacco tax to the health budget and to direct £26 million to support health improvements and public health initiatives. Detailed decisions on how these resources will be allocated are still to be taken.

NHS Funding

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Minister for Finance arrived at the figure of 7.5% real terms increase in health expenditure, as given in the Official Report for 30 March 2000, col. 1197.

Susan Deacon: I refer to my answer to question S1W-6363.

NHS Waiting Times

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for cardiac operations in the Greater Glasgow Health Board area (a) under the NHSiS and (b) privately for operations deemed urgent and non-urgent.

Susan Deacon: The average waiting time for a cardiac operation under the NHS in the Greater Glasgow Health Board area for the year to 30 September 1999 was 122 days, the most up-to-date figure available based on the health board’s waiting list for that period. This covers all kinds of cardiac operation: individual types of operation have different average waiting times. Waiting times are not broken down into urgent and non-urgent categories: the service is responsive to clinical need and this means that a number of emergency and urgent cases are treated almost immediately and, therefore, do not appear on a waiting list.

  Information on waiting times for private cardiac treatment is a matter for those who provide such treatment.

Police

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of fuel for vehicles for each police force in each year since 1997.

Mr Jim Wallace: The cost of fuel for vehicles for each police force in each year since 1997 is shown in the following table.

  


Force 


1997-98 


1998-99 


1998-99 




Central 


£237,179 


£246,779 


£280,580 




Dumfries & Galloway 


£192,290 


£225,314 


£260,547 




Fife 


£241,867 


£319,209 


£334,836 




Grampian 


£422,336 


£482,735 


£511,891 




Lothian & Borders 


£648,562 


£771,461 


£801,331 




Northern 


£307,400 


£313,729 


£368,205 




Strathclyde 


£1,836,572 


£1,877,648 


£2,200,938 




Tayside 


£365,721 


£406,143 


£427,450

Public Transport

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to promote a positive approach among children and young people towards public transport.

Sarah Boyack: The Safer Routes to School initiative is already doing much to encourage children to walk, cycle or use public transport to get to school. There are currently 89 schemes in Scotland. We intend to develop and extend the initiative further as part of our integrated transport policy.

Rail Network

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the report commissioned by West Lothian Council into the re-opening of the rail link between Bathgate and Airdrie.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has received a copy of the report. It provides insufficient grounds for a serious consideration of re-opening the line.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it now has to promote the re-establishment of the Borders railway.

Sarah Boyack: A working group of the key stakeholders, led by Scottish Borders Council, has been established to consider how best to take forward the conclusions of the Scottish Borders Railway Feasibility Study.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers the Strategic Rail Authority has with regard to the appointment and functioning of the Office of the Rail Regulator and how many meetings it has had with the Rail Regulator, detailing dates.

Sarah Boyack: Under Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998, the provision and regulation of railway services is a reserved matter. I last met the Rail Regulator on 28 September 1999, and my officials meet his frequently.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what response it will give to the Network Management Statement for Railtrack, which schemes it intends to support financially, which it supports in principle, and which it rejects, giving its reasoning in each case.

Sarah Boyack: The project proposals outlined in Railtrack’s 2000 Network Management Statement for Scotland  will help inform the Scottish Executive’s consideration of the strategic priorities for the Scottish railway network. These priorities will underpin the directions and guidance that will be issued to the Strategic Rail Authority for the passenger services that begin and end in Scotland. The directions and guidance will not contain detailed prescription about infrastructure. It will be for the train operating company, in conjunction with Railtrack, to ensure the availability of the necessary infrastructure and rolling stock to meet the terms of the franchise.

  Individual infrastructure projects may of course be eligible for support from public resources, for instance from the Public Transport Fund or the Railway Passenger partnership fund. These funds have already assisted a number of rail projects in Scotland.

Roads

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce the four successful operating companies who will manage Scotland’s motorway and trunk road network following the results of "The Road Ahead" consultation process.

Sarah Boyack: I expect to announce the four successful operating companies once tenders for the competitions have been received and analysed. This should be possible towards the end of this year.

Roads

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to make the whole of the Aberdeen to Peterhead road a dual carriageway.

Sarah Boyack: No. There are no plans to upgrade the whole of this section of road to dual carriageway.

Roads

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans Falkirk and West Lothian Councils have to complete the Avon Gorge route and what support it is giving to these plans.

Sarah Boyack: It is entirely a matter for the councils to decide what priority should be given to improving the A801 Avon Gorge road, in terms of all the services for which they are responsible, and allocate resources accordingly.

Roads

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the outcome of the tendering exercise for management and maintenance of the Scottish trunk road network will be announced.

Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the reply I gave to question S1W-6196.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much traffic uses the A82 from Tarbet to North of Inverarnan on a daily basis; whether this stretch of the A82 is in need of improvement to the same standard as the section of the A82 lying between Balloch and Tarbet and what impact it anticipates the passage of the National Parks (Scotland) Bill and the designation of inter alia this section of the A82 as lying within a National Park area will have upon the prospects for such improvement.

Sarah Boyack: The average daily traffic flow on the A82 trunk road between Tarbet and north of Inverarnan is 3,000 vehicles compared to 12,000 vehicles between Balloch and Tarbet. The Scottish Executive is aware that the section between Tarbet and north of Inverarnan requires upgrading and has included two improvement schemes on this section within the current three-year road improvement programme.

  National Parks are to be designated as "Statutory Consultees" on matters relating to roads and traffic management. In this way they will be invited to comment on any road matters within their area.

Rural Affairs

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered compensating sufferers of organophosphate poisoning who became ill after complying with compulsory dipping orders.

Ross Finnie: The issues of compensation are essentially not for government but for individuals to take up with the manufacturers of the product involved.

Schools

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the capital expenditure on school buildings in each of the last four years and how this expenditure compares to expenditure on information technology in schools in each of the past four years.

Peter Peacock: Local authority capital expenditure on education is given in the table below. Information about expenditure on information technology is not identified separately in the returns from which the information is derived.

  Local authority capital expenditure on education

  





Gross Capital 
Payments
£000




1996-97 


121,734 




1997-98 


124,342 




1998-99 


166,546 




1999-2000 


154,292 




  Notes:

  1. As reported by authorities on the statistical return Capital Payments and their Financing (CPR 5) for financial years 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 and CPR Fin 3D Forecast return for 1999-2000.

  2. Total Education capital payments include acquisition of land, leases, existing buildings or works; expenditure on new construction (including improvements to existing buildings and dwellings) and the purchase and sale of vehicles, plant, machinery and equipment.

  3. Gross capital payments are payments both funded and not funded from revenue.

Scottish Parliament Commissioner for Administration

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards the appointment of a permanent Scottish Parliament Commissioner for Administration and what the timescale is for the associated consultation.

Mr Jack McConnell: An initial consultation paper is being prepared to seek views on issues to be addressed in framing the Act of the Scottish Parliament which will put in place permanent arrangements for investigating complaints of maladministration. Work on this paper is nearing completion and it should be published before the summer recess. A period of around three months will be allowed for responses. This will be followed by a second consultation, probably including a draft Bill, setting out detailed proposals based on the outcome of the initial consultation.

Sexual Health

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive in what situations (e.g. primary care, pre-abortion, contraceptive advice clinics) screening for chlamydia and other sexually transmitted diseases takes place and what type of test is used in each of these situations.

Susan Deacon: Testing for chlamydial infection and other sexually transmitted infections is part of the appropriate clinical care of patients who present with relevant symptoms.

  My answer to question S1W-5086 by Kay Ullrich outlined developments in respect of sexual health services including detection. I can now confirm that the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network has issued clinical guidelines on the management of genital chlamydia trachomatis infection. Testing should be offered to all Genito-urinary Medicine clinic attenders and all women undergoing termination of pregnancy. Testing should also be offered to all sexually active women under 25 years of age and considered for women over 25 with a new sexual partner or two or more partners in the past 12 months.

  Laboratories across the UK are moving towards the introduction of recently introduced molecular tests which are more accurate and more suitable for use in symptom-free individuals in the case of chlamydial infection. A wide range of laboratory tests are available for the diagnosis of other sexually-transmitted infections.

Sexual Health

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what sexual health training is available for health professionals working in primary care.

Susan Deacon: A wide range of relevant courses and qualifications is available for the large number of different professionals who may deal with sexual health issues. These include formal professional qualifications, such as those in family planning, as well as opportunities for continuing professional development run by professional and education bodies and by the NHS. In particular:

  - A number of Scottish universities provide short courses in sexual and reproductive health, which are available to qualified nurses. In addition, all district nurses and health visitors hold a specialist practitioner qualification in community practice and for health visitors in particular, this will include an element on sexual health.

  - The Scottish Centre for Post Qualification Pharmaceutical Education (SCPPE) runs local and national direct training courses and has produced a distance learning pack on "Health Promotion" which covers issues such as sexual health. This training is available to all NHS pharmacists in Scotland.

  - General practitioners take responsibility for their own learning needs as part of the process of lifelong learning and maintenance of clinical skills. They should also take account of the local area in which they are working and any particular health needs associated with that environment.

Sheltered Housing

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to retain the current status of very sheltered housing as housing provision, placing it outside the proposed framework for the regulation of care and social services.

Iain Gray: We do not intend that sheltered housing should be regulated as residential care. But we do intend that the home care services provided to people living in very sheltered housing will be regulated. We consulted recently on how best this can be accomplished, and will publish our proposals soon.

Statistics

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on gathering reliable information about income levels by local authority areas, including both West and East Dunbartonshire.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Household Survey will provide information on household income by local authority area after the first full sweep of the survey (i.e. after two years) – the results of which are likely to be made available in the summer of 2001.

  Discussions are also underway with the Department for Social Security and the Office for National Statistics to investigate the use of nationwide surveys (such as the Family Expenditure Survey, Family Resource Survey and General Household Survey) to provide information which allow us to produce analysis of income at local authority level for Scotland.

Tourism

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the formal approval of the signposting of Langholm Golf Club on the A7.

Sarah Boyack: The Golf Club does not qualify for signing in accordance with the Scottish Executive Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting Policy.

Transport

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish its timetable for the completion of the proposed new Kincardine Bridge, including time required for any necessary planning permission and for construction.

Sarah Boyack: Following completion of the preliminary design stage, I expect to be able to publish draft orders for the new crossing in spring 2001. Thereafter, progress will be dependent on public reaction to the proposals and the availability of funding.

Under-Age Drinking

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what statutory powers are available to the police to deal with the problems arising from under-age drinking in public places.

Mr Jim Wallace: Section 61 of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997 provides the police with powers to confiscate alcoholic drink from under-age drinkers in public places and from those over 18 who are suspected of supplying alcohol to under-age drinkers. This is a practical measure which can reduce the impact and nuisance at local level that results from under-age drinking, while also reducing the opportunities for the general scale of such drinking.

Under-Age Drinking

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities to assist them in preventing the consumption of alcohol in public places by young people under the age of 18.

Mr Jim Wallace: Guidance was issued to local authorities in July 1997 about the new police powers to confiscate alcohol from young people under 18 found drinking in public places introduced by the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997. Local authorities also received the promotional briefing pack covering the new powers.

Waste Management

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to investigate public concerns about public consultation on Paterson’s toxic waste landfill site in Glasgow.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has recently carried out consultation about the proposed modification to licence conditions for Paterson’s landfill site with statutory consultees, local community councils and members of the public who have shown concern.

  Licensing is a regulatory matter and is therefore for SEPA. As Scottish Ministers could become involved at a later stage, should an appeal be lodged about the licence conditions, it is not appropriate for me to comment on the details.